mufc_footballfandomcom-20200215-history
Ryan Gauld
Ryan Gauld (born 16 December 1995) is a Scottish professional footballer who currently plays as an attacking midfielder for Premier League club Manchester United and the Scotland national football team. He previously played for Dundee United, where he started his professional career and for Portuguese side Sporting CP. Early Life Ryan Gauld was born on 16 December 1995 in Aberdeen and grew up in Laurencekirk, Aberdeenshire, where he was a pupil at Mearns Academy. In 2002, Gauld began to play for Brechin City Boys Club (later Brechin City Youths), where he was part of a successful team alongside John Souttar and Euan Spark. The trio also developed their skills at coaching schools run in Dundee by Ian Cathro, before they all joined Dundee United's youth system in 2006 at the age of nine. Club Career 'Dundee United' Gauld made his Scottish Premier League debut as an 87th-minute substitute for Johnny Russell in the final match of the 2011–12 season, a 2–0 win away to Motherwell on 13 May. United manager Peter Houston praised Gauld after a goalless draw against Ross County in September 2012. On 24 January 2013, Gauld signed an extended contract keeping him at the club until January 2016 and on 1 April he made his first start against St. Johnstone at McDiarmid Park and marked the occasion with his first senior goal to open a game which ended 1–1. On 4 November 2013, Gauld's contract was further extended, to run until May 2016. Five days later, he scored twice in a 4–0 win against Motherwell at Fir Park. On 15 December 2013, it was reported that several Premier League clubs were interested in him, including the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea. However, the following day (which was also his 18th birthday) Gauld's contract was further extended, to run until May 2017. On 12 April 2014, Gauld played in the Scottish Cup semi-final at Ibrox. United beat Rangers 3-1, with Gauld playing a big part in the first two goals, as the club progressed to the Scottish Cup Final. Five days later, he was shortlisted for the PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year award. In the Cup Final on 17 May, he replaced Gary Mackay-Steven for the final 26 minutes as Dundee United lost 2–0 to St. Johnstone at Celtic Park. Gauld's season ended with 8 goals in 38 games across all competitions, of which 6 were scored in his 31 league matches. 'Sporting CP' On 2 July 2014, Sporting Clube de Portugal announced the signing of Gauld from Dundee United, for an undisclosed fee rumoured to be in the region of £3 million. He signed a six-year contract with a €60 million buy-out clause. Despite being put into the club's reserve team, he was named in the 25-man squad to play in the UEFA Champions League after impressing manager Marco Silva during training sessions. He made his debut for Sporting B on 10 August 2014, replacing Palhinha at half time in a 1–0 defeat away to Farense. Seventeen days later, in his fourth match for the club, he scored for the first time, netting the second in a 3–0 home victory over Desportivo Aves. After making 17 appearances and scoring twice for the B side, albeit with a red card in his last game against Vitória de Guimarães B, Gauld made his debut for the first team on 29 December 2014 in a Portuguese League Cup game against that club's first team. He played the full 90 minutes in a 2–0 win for his side. On his second start for the Sporting first team on 14 January 2015, Gauld was named man of the match in a 1–0 win in the same competition, against Boavista. Having been fouled by goalkeeper Daniel Monllor, he won the penalty converted by Junya Tanaka for the only goal. Four days later, he made his Primeira Liga debut, replacing André Martins for the last 25 minutes of a 4–2 win over Rio Ave at the Estádio José Alvalade. Gauld scored twice for the first team in a 3–2 defeat away to Belenenses in a 2014–15 Taça da Liga group game on 21 January 2015. 'Manchester United' On 1 July 2015, Manchester United announced that they had signed Gauld from Sporting for a fee of £10 million potentially rising to a maximum of £17.5 million. Gauld travelled with the squad in the pre-season tours of Europe and the US. On the European tour in early July Gauld scored against both Genoa and FC Zurich in comfortable victories, despite not scoring again during the tour he helped him self to eleven assists in five matches. Following this run of success Gauld was given a squad number, 19 and made a scoring debut against Tottenham in the Premier League scoring the final goal in a 3–0 win. He would then get assists in the next two games against Aston Villa and Newcastle United, before grabbing the second goal in an 8–0 win over Swansea. His third league goal of the season came in the next match against rivals Liverpool. He would also net a goal in the League Cup third round win over Ipswich netting the fifth in a 7–0 win and he added one in the UEFA Champions League in Matchday two against Wolfsburg. Career Statistics 'Club' 'International' International goals Honours Club Manchester United *Premier League (1): 2015–16 *Football League Cup (1): 2015–16 *FA Community Shield (1): 2015 *UEFA Super Cup (1): 2015 *FIFA Club World Cup (1): 2015 Individual *PFA Player of the Year (1): 2015–16 *PFA Young Player of the Year (1): 2015–16 *PFA Team of the Year (1): 2015–16 *Premier League Player of the Month (2): August 2015, September 2015 *FIFA Club World Cup Silver Ball (1): 2015